Multifunctional support rail

Abstract

An aircraft cabin is provided that comprises an cabin interior space, a plurality of cabin enclosing surfaces, and a multifunctional support rail. The multifunctional support rail comprises a plurality of rail segments connected to each other forming a continuous rail arrangement. Further a number of first segments are provided as handrail in a first height, and a number of second segments is provided as a support handrail in a second height. The first height is in a waist region of a standing passenger, and the second height is in a shoulder or head region of a standing passenger. Still further, the first segments are connected with the second segments by a number of third segments provided as support handle running in a vertical direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An aircraft cabin, comprising:
 a plurality of vertical lavatory enclosing surfaces including two adjacent side walls abutting at a corner region and including an opposite side wall, wherein the plurality of vertical lavatory enclosing surfaces completely encloses a lavatory interior space including a seating or standing area; 
 an upper floor surface; 
 a toilet seat in the lavatory interior space adjacent the corner region; 
 lavatory equipment comprising a wash basin and/or a lavatory table surface located in the lavatory interior space along the opposite side wall; and 
 a multifunctional support rail including a plurality of rail segments connected to each other forming a continuous rail arrangement, the plurality of rail segments including:
 first handrail segments provided as a first horizontal handrail at a first height in a waist region of a standing passenger in a range of approximately 700 mm to approximately 1300 mm above the upper floor surface, wherein at least a portion of the first handrail segments are provided as a horizontal edge handrail along the lavatory equipment located along the opposite side wall, 
 second handrail segments provided as a second horizontal handrail in a second height in a shoulder or head region of the standing passenger in a range of approximately 1500 mm to approximately 2100 mm above the upper floor surface, wherein at least a portion of the second segments are provided as an above-head handhold parallel to the upper floor surface and extending along and parallel to one of the adjacent side walls, and 
 third handrail segments provided as a support handle running in a vertical direction along at least one of the adjacent side walls and interconnecting the first handrail segments to the second handrail segment, wherein at least a portion of the third segments are provided as a vertical support handle in the vicinity of a toilet seat for support when transferring positions; wherein the multifunctional support rail comprises communication interfaces and/or operation interfaces arranged on the multifunctional support rail; 
 
 wherein the multifunctional support rail is provided throughout at least a major part of the lavatory interior space as a multi-position handhold; and wherein the multifunctional support rail is provided along a circumferential line extending over at least half of the enclosing circumferential surfaces of the lavatory interior space. 
 
     
     
       2. The aircraft cabin according to  claim 1 , wherein the second handrail segments are provided as a dual height handhold with first sub-segments in a first upper height and with second sub-segments in a second upper height. 
     
     
       3. The aircraft cabin according to  claim 2 , wherein the first sub-segments and second sub-segments are arranged as stretching handholds above a seating device in the lavatory interior space. 
     
     
       4. The aircraft cabin according to  claim 1 , wherein the second handrail segments are provided as dual height rail supports with first sub-segments as first stowage supports in a first upper height and with second sub-segments as second stowage supports in a second upper height. 
     
     
       5. The aircraft cabin according to  claim 1 , wherein the second handrail segments are adjustable from between a first position at a lower height and a second position at an upper height. 
     
     
       6. The aircraft cabin according to  claim 1 , wherein the multifunctional support rail follows a contour of the interior space. 
     
     
       7. The aircraft cabin according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of lavatory enclosing surfaces define an interior structure, and along corner portions of the interior structure, the first handrail segments are provided with wider bending radii to arrange free-spanning handle segments that are graspable by a user along the complete circumference of the cross-section of the handle segments. 
     
     
       8. The aircraft cabin according to  claim 1 , wherein the multifunctional support rail provides support handle portions for persons with reduced mobility. 
     
     
       9. The aircraft cabin according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of rail segments is provided with illumination means. 
     
     
       10. The aircraft cabin according to  claim 1 , wherein the above-head handhold is arranged in the same height as a handrail along overhead compartments of a cabin interior of a main passenger cabin area. 
     
     
       11. The aircraft cabin according to  claim 1 , wherein the multifunctional support rail is provided along a circumferential line extending over at least approximately 75% of the enclosing circumferential surfaces. 
     
     
       12. The aircraft cabin according to  claim 1 , wherein the above-head handhold is located directly over the toilet seat. 
     
     
       13. The aircraft cabin according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the opposite side wall is a second opposite side wall; 
 the plurality of vertical lavatory enclosing surfaces further includes a first opposite side wall; 
 the two adjacent side walls includes a first adjacent side wall and a second adjacent side wall; 
 the first adjacent side wall extends from the corner region to a first opposite side wall; 
 the second adjacent side wall extends from the corner region to the second opposite side wall; 
 and the above-head handhold extends from the support handle along and parallel to the first adjacent side wall into contact with the first opposite side wall. 
 
     
     
       14. The aircraft cabin according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the second handrail segments are provided as a dual height handhold with first sub-segments in a first upper height and with second sub-segments in a second upper height; 
 the first sub-segments are parallel to the upper floor surface and extend along and parallel to the first adjacent side wall from the support handle into contact with the first opposite side wall; and 
 the second sub-segments are parallel to the upper floor surface and extend along and parallel to the first adjacent side wall from the support handle into contact with the first opposite side wall. 
 
     
     
       15. An aircraft, comprising:
 a fuselage structure having a floor; 
 a lavatory space arranged over the floor in the fuselage structure and including a first adjacent side wall abutting a second adjacent side wall at a corner, wherein the first adjacent side wall extends from the corner to a first opposite side wall, and wherein the second adjacent side wall extends from the corner to a second opposite side wall; 
 a toilet mounted to the corner; 
 a lavatory table mounted to the second opposite side wall; and 
 a multifunctional support rail extending continuously from the first opposite side wall to the second adjacent side wall, along the second adjacent side wall to the first adjacent side wall, and along the first adjacent side wall to the first opposite side wall, the support rail including a waist height handrail, an above-head handhold and a vertical support handle, wherein:
 the waist height handrail extends parallel to the floor at a height of from about 700 to about 1300 mm above the floor along an edge of the lavatory table on the second opposite side wall from the second adjacent side wall toward the first opposite side wall; 
 the above-head handhold extends parallel to the floor at a height of from about 1500 to about 2100 mm above the floor along the first adjacent side wall from the corner toward the first opposite side wall, wherein a portion of the above-head handhold is directly over the toilet; and 
 the vertical support handle interconnects the waist height handrail and the above-head handhold and extends upward from the waist height handrail to the above-head handhold along the first adjacent side wall. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The aircraft according to  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the support rail is provided with illumination means. 
     
     
       17. The aircraft according to  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the support rail is provided with a communication and/or operation interface. 
     
     
       18. The aircraft according to  claim 15 , further comprising a transfer seat located along the first adjacent side wall between the toilet seat and the first opposite side wall, wherein the above-head handhold extends directly over the toilet seat and the transfer seat. 
     
     
       19. The aircraft according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the above-head handhold is provided as a dual height handhold with an upper handrail and a lower handrail; 
 the upper handrail is parallel to the upper floor surface and extends along and parallel to the first adjacent side wall from the support handle into contact with the first opposite side wall; and 
 the lower handrail is parallel to the upper floor surface and extends along and parallel to the first adjacent side wall from the support handle into contact with the first opposite side wall. 
 
     
     
       20. The aircraft according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the above-head handhold is provided as a dual height handhold with an upper handrail and a lower handrail; 
 the upper handrail is parallel to the upper floor surface and extends along and parallel to the first adjacent side wall from the support handle toward the first opposite side wall; 
 the lower handrail is parallel to the upper floor surface and extends along and parallel to the first adjacent side wall from the support handle toward the first opposite side wall; and 
 the support rail consists of three ends: a first end of the waist height handrail, a second end of the upper handrail, and a third end of the lower handrail.